I would consider silk first also, but I agree with you tutor that it would be very expensive. I like linen/cotton mixes personally. There are considerations though. Linen wrinkles like nobodies business. It would look much more casual in that fabric too. Would still nice, but different from the picture. And a petticoat plus probably a finish on the skirt to make it stand out. The picture seems made from a fabric with a lot of body. Linen fabric in particular could have been treated to feel one way and look and feel very different after you wash it. Unless, of course, you plan to never machine wash it. I will add the caveat here that I have never made a dress that complicated, so my lack of experience may taint my advice. I think overall that fabric would make into a nice dress, but it would be a different dress then the one in the picture. If that is fine with you then you may have a winner. Good luck whatever you do and keep us updated, it looks like a cool project.
Mary

I've never heard of union fabric. Is that a brand, or are you using it to mean a blend?

Anyway, for your design you are going to need something with a lot of body. Look for a very tight weave, with a crisp feel. I've recently made a couple of dresses from linen/cotton blends, and although the two fabrics are quite different, they are both soft and limp once they've been worn for 5 minutes. I wouldn't use either of them for a design like what you want to tackle.

I haven't heard of this fabric, either. Like the others, the linen/cotton blends I've used tend to be very drapey, not nice and crisp. Did you buy a sample you can play with? Please report back about how it handles washing/dyeing, etc!

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